Board members Raymond Wong, Eric Siegel and Rupali Wadhwa, accompanied by her husband Vivek, from left, take the oath at the organizational meeting Jan. 7. Newcomers Wadhwa and Wong and incumbent Siegel were the top vote-getters in the Nov. 6 election.

The filling of the positions of president and vice president was put to a vote - and a debate - at the Jan. 7 reorganization meeting of the Millburn Board of Education.

Nominations for the offices were made after newcomers Rupali Wadhwa and Raymond Wong and incumbent Eric Siegel were sworn in and took their seats on the board. The three were the top vote-getters in the Nov. 6 election.

New board member Raymond Wong, right, attends the Jan. 7 organizational meeting with his wife, Namrata, son Devon and daughter Jhanvi.

Chapman said she would ask each member to submit a list of committees they are interested in serving on, look at individual backgrounds and passions, and work with the vice president and superintendent to make the decisions.

"I would take the same approach," Waters said. He said he would send an email to ask board members where their interest lies, work with the vice president and consult with the superintendent.

Pasternak also asked Chapman and Waters specifically how they would include the board vice president in this process.

Chapman said she would consider the vice president an "equal member in the office," but Waters, who has served as board vice president in the past, said board bylaws state that the president makes the ultimate decision.

Michael Birnberg, the outgoing board president, said the question was worthless because both candidates would follow the laws of the board.

Before the vote took place Wadhwa, who said she had no working relationship with either of the candidates, asked them and those who nominated them to explain why they would be good board presidents.

Pasternak read from a list of points she had prepared on why she nominated Chapman.

"Of all the board members, she has the most depth and breadth of experience," she said, citing Chapman's work on the Finance, Program, Communication and Personnel Committees as well as on the School and Community Task Force, High School drug and alcohol task force and Strategic Planning advisory committee.

She said other points in her favor are "not personalizing debate" and "letting to all sides be heard."

Truitt said she felt "blindsided" by the prepared comments and said in her six years of attending board meetings she had never seen this kind of proceeding.

In support of Waters, she said "I find him to be very qualified." She cited his work as past chairman of the Finance Committee but said she did not prepare an extensive statement.

Siegel was also taken aback by the questioning of the candidates and compared it to filibustering.

Nevertheless, Waters had support from the majority of the board and was named president after a 5-3 roll call vote with one abstention.

Waters voted for himself and received the support of Birnberg, Siegel, Truitt and Wenik. Chapman voted for herself and received the support of Pasternak and Wadhwa. Wong abstained from both votes.

Wenik was nominated for vice president by Siegel and won the roll call vote, receiving support from those who voted for Waters against the same three for Chapman, who was nominated again by Pasternak. Wong again abstained from the vote.

During the proceedings Birnberg said all board members at the dais would be qualified as president.

"The president doesn't have more votes than anyone else," he said. "At the end of the day, it's the Board of Education that sets the agenda, runs meetings and votes."